The weather is warm year round in Ho Chi Minh which makes it perfect for bar hopping, exploring clubs and bars and discovering great restaurants. The City never stops and Ho Chi Minh has something for everyone. When the sun goes down, it’s a great time to venture to the rooftop bars where views of the night city below sparkle and light up the sky. All of the bars we went to had happy hour, buy 1 get 1 free, half price, or some kind of drink and snack special.
We made the effort to try a different venue every night and here are a few of our favourite bars and clubs we visited.
Snuffbox Speakeasy
This was my all time favourite bar in Ho Chi Minh. Designed in the style of 1920s prohibition era, the styling of this bar is right up my alley. Jazz plays, lighting is dark and moody, the crowd is chilled out and relaxed and the bar has an impressive range of spirits and cocktails. The food menu is quite small but they do a delicious antipasto board.
The Snuffbox bar is a little tricky to find. We got a short cab ride from our hotel and got dropped off in a dark street opposite the colonial built State bank of Vietnam. The bar is situated in a very rustic looking 1950’s apartment complex. We were a little hesitant and very gingerly took the stairs not knowing what we were going to walk into. When we opened the door to the bar we were surprised at what we found. The decor and design of the Snuffbox is incredible. It is an absolute gem of a bar and completely unexpected from the outside. Loved it and definitely recommend.
Location: 14 Ton That Dam, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Glow skybar
Amazing views of the City from the Glow Skybar rooftop bar, cocktails and drinks are a little pricey but they have a daily happy hour (which unfortunately we missed so drinks were about $25AUS for a cocktail) Worth a visit for the view alone!
Location: 93 Nguyen Du, District 1, Ho Chi Minh
Chill skybar
Chill is similar to GLOW, but includes a restaurant. Happy hour is 5.30pm – 8pm and most drinks are half price.The bar has incredible views of the city and great chilled out tunes until 10pm when the DJ ramps up the dance music. Chill Skybar has a pretty strict dress code, so leave your thongs behind at the hotel (thats flip flops / sandals to an Aussie, I’m pretty sure the other kind of ‘thong’ is more than welcome and probably encouraged) 😉
Location: 76A Le Lai, District 1 – Rooftop of AB Tower, Ho Chi Minh
The Long@Times Square
Located on the ground level of the Times Square building, this walk through bar is perfect for cocktails, beers and delicious pizzas. We loved the seating area overlooking the street, which is great for watching the action in the street. The Long@Times Square is located directly below the hotel we were staying at, The Reverie Saigon, so it was the perfect pitstop for us before moving onto the next hotspot. The bar has one of my all time fave cocktails, Pina Colada, served in a coconut, with a cherry on top. Love it!
Location: 22-36 Nguyen Hue Boulevard, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Bui Vien Street
Party Street! If non stop action and super cheap drinks are your thing, then Bui Vien is the place for you. Fire breathers, food carts, tattoo parlours, restaurants and bars fill this street. It is loaded with tourists and the bars and clubs feature curbside seating, giving a perfect front row seat for all the street activity. My Sister and I found a rooftop bar, so we could get a good view to watch the action down below.
Bui Vien Street is located in District 1.
The nightlife options in Ho Chi Minh are endless. The city boasts amazing restaurants, trendy clubs and breathtaking views from the many rooftop bars. Ho Chi Minh is a location that I would love to return to and continue my exploration of the rapidly developing city. There is so much more to discover.
Travelling Soul Sister 